THE deadly coronavirus outbreak could "collapse" UK travel firms, an industry source has claimed, and some companies are already struggling.

It comes as the death toll for the bug hits more than 600, and tens of thousands of people around the world are infected.

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Air passengers are having to be thermal tested on planesCredit: AP:Associated Press

Speaking at a travel industry event, Joss Croft, CEO for UKinbound, called for the government to step in to help struggling holiday firms.

He said that UKinbound's members, which all cater to tourists coming into the UK, are already suffering.

Some business have already reported "desperate cashflow problems" and some could fail before the health crisis is over.

And if a substantial number of companies go bust, it could mean thousands of travel jobs lost.

Other travel firms have complained of huge numbers of cancellations as well - and not all to or from China.

There have been holidaymakers querying their travels to Vietnam and Japan according to Travel Weekly.

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The virus has had widespread implications around the worldCredit: EPA

Tom Jenkins, CEO of European tourism association (ETOA), explained how two of its members were taking a hit as holidaymakers cancel their booked breaks.

One has had 2,000 cancellations while another has lost 60 per cent of their business.

But the effects of coronavirus on the UK tourism industry doesn't stop with the outbreak - it could have an impact years down the line.

Those in the travel industry have also said that people are starting to be "wary of anyone who looked Chinese, regardless of where they had come from in Asia" according to Travelmole.

Some tourists are even being segregated at restaurants and in shops, alienating those visitors, who may never return in the future.

Martyn Sumners, Executive Director, for AITO, told Sun Online Travel: “For outbound travel from the UK – which is the main market for the 120 specialist travel companies in AITO - while none of our Asia specialists solely feature China (most offer a diverse mix of several destinations in the region), some holiday postponements are inevitable.

“Usually in such circumstances, the holiday industry unites/works together, with airlines and ground suppliers assisting holiday operators to switch destinations or to arrange a change of dates, ideally with either reduced or modest amendment charges. Many consumers will probably choose to rebook their holiday at a later date.

"We will not know for some time what the long-term effects of the coronavirus situation have been on the travel industry until the matter can be properly assessed, once the situation has been brought under control."

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